The present invention relates to a card holding structure capable of holding a plurality of cards, and to a console box for vehicle, which has the card holding structure.
A vehicle console box (hereinafter, it is simply referred to as a console box) is disposed between vehicle seats, particularly beside the driver""s seat. With such consol box, the one which is provided with a card holding portion for holding a card, such as a credit card, is known. The console box is attached to a side portion of a vehicle seat by such a bracket as disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 2934808 (U.S. Pat. No. 5,588,697), or the like. The console box turns downward from a horizontal state through 90 degrees by folding the bracket or the like, so that the console box can be collapsed and held vertically. An example of the card holding portion according to an earlier technology is shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a card holding portion disposed on a lid of a console box.
A card holding portion 30 as shown in FIG. 5 comprises a base plate 31 which is attached to a lid 40 of the console box, and a pair of holding members 32 which are formed on the base plate 31 for holding opposite shorter sides 21 of a rectangular card 20. A leg portion 32a of the holding member 32 is connected to the base plate 31. There is a specific space between a head portion 32b extending from the leg portion 32a and the base plate 31 such that a plurality of cards 20 are stored in the space.
A biasing member 33 biasing the held cards 20 toward the head portions 32b of the holding members 32 is integrally formed with the base plate 31 between the pair of holding members 32. The biasing member 33 leads to the base plate 31 at a base edge portion 33a. A front edge portion 33b extending from the base edge portion 33a has a shape protruding from the base plate 31. An opening 31a is formed in a portion of the base plate 31, corresponding to the biasing member 33. The biasing member 33 is capable of pitching about the base edge portion 33a with respect to the base plate 31, so that the biasing member 33 acts as a spring.
In order to hold the card 20 in the card holding portion 30, while the card 20 is slid from one edge side of the pair of holding members 32 in a direction of an arrow in FIG. 5 so that the card 20 will be parallel to the base plate 31, the card 20 is inserted between the head portions 32b of the holding members 32 and the base plate 31, and then held in the card holding portion 30.
Even if the card 20, the number of which is smaller than the maximal number to be held, is held in the card holding portion 30, since the biasing member 33 biases the card 20 toward the head portions 32b of the holding members 32, the card 20 does not rattle.
However, when the plurality of cards 20 are held in the above-described card holding portion 30, all the cards 20 are overlapped entirely as shown in FIG. 6. Thus, although the surface of the top card 20 is visible, other cards which are held under the top card 20 are invisible, so that they are not discriminated. That is, the user is required to check the card type every time the user uses the card. Thus, it is inconvenience.
Further, there is a problem that when the user needs to use the card which is not the top card, that is, which is held under the top card, the desired card is not extracted from the card holding portion 30 unless the card held above the card to be used is extracted therefrom.
The present invention is attained in view of the problem described above. An object of the present invention is to provide a card holding structure in which each held card is visible, and from which a desired card is easily extracted when a plurality of cards are held in the card holding structure.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a console box for a vehicle, which has the above-described card holding structure.
In order to accomplish the objects, according to one aspect of the present invention, a card holding structure which is capable of holding a plurality of cards comprises a base plate, a holding member and a step-like member. The base plate is approximately parallel to the plurality of cards when the plurality of cards are held. The holding member comprises a leg portion disposed on the base plate, and a head portion which extends from the leg portion and which has an inner surface parallel to the base plate. A space in which a plurality of cards are held is provided between the head portion of the holding member and the base plate, and the holding member holds a card between the base plate and the head portion. The step-like member is disposed on the base plate and has a stairs configuration which increases in height from the base plate toward the head portion of the holding member. Each step of the stairs configuration comprises a riser portion which is approximately perpendicular to the base plate, and a flat portion which is approximately parallel to the base plate. A card can be placed on the flat portion. A height of each riser portion is larger than a thickness of a card to be held. A depth of each flat portion is set such that respective cards are visible when the plurality of cards are placed on and held by the respective flat portions.
According to the card holding structure, the depth of each flat portion is determined such that the respective cards are visible when the plurality of cards are placed on and held by the flat portion of each step. Thus, each holding position for each card is different from each other along each step. That is, all the cards do not overlap entirely, so that the lower card is not hidden. Therefore, even if a plurality of cards are held, the design of each card is visible, so that only the desired card can be extracted.
With the card holding structure, the base plate may be provided with a biasing member for biasing the card between the base plate and the head portion of the holding member toward the head portion of the holding member.
According to the card holding structure, when a number of the held card is, for example, only one which is smaller than the maximal number of cards to be held, or when the cards of the maximal number to be held are held, the biasing member always biases the held card toward the head portion of the holding member. Thus, the head portion of the holding member and the card are brought into contact with each other, or the cards are brought into contact with each other, so that the card is pressed against the head portion of the holding member. That is, the held card is pressed by the biasing member so as not to move in the space where other cards can be stored, so that no held cards rattle or fall off from the holding structure. Therefore, the card can be stably held.
With the card holding structure, an opening may be formed in the base plate for extracting the held card by inserting a finger in the opening. Furthermore, it is preferable that the depth of each flat portion of the step-like member is at least smaller than a width of a card to be held.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, a console box for a vehicle comprises a card holding structure which is capable of holding a plurality of cards. The card holding structure comprises a base plate which is approximately parallel to a plurality of cards when the plurality of cards are held, a holding member and a step-like member. The holding member comprises a leg portion disposed on the base plate, and a head portion which extends from the leg portion and which has an inner surface parallel to the base plate. A space in which a plurality of cards are held is provided between the head portion and the base plate, and the holding member holds a card between the base plate and the head portion. The step-like member is disposed on the base plate and has a stairs configuration which increases in height from the base plate toward the head portion of the holding member. Each step of the stairs configuration comprises a riser portion which is approximately perpendicular to the base plate, and a flat portion which is approximately parallel to the base plate. A card can be placed on the flat portion. A height of each riser portion is larger than a thickness of a card to be held. A depth of each flat portion is set such that respective cards are visible when a plurality of cards are placed on and held by each flat portion.